The Stars of Areon (The Chronicles of Areon Book 1)

by Aaron J. Ethridge

  Silence fell between the pair; each one wrapped in his own thoughts. Shortly after their conversation ended, Temmas brought the party to a stop at the foot of a steep trail leading further into the mountains.

  “You can't lose your way from here,” he said, pointing up the path. “This will lead you into a valley that you won't be able to get out of until you reach the kingdom of Innalas. It shouldn't take you more than a couple of days and, at this time of year, it's rather a pleasant journey. I wish you well.”

  With this, he shook hands with all the men and bowed to each of the ladies before turning and plunging silently into the woods. For several more hours, the party climbed the narrow trail. As the sun began to set, they discovered a sheltered area to make camp for the night. The day had been both long and eventful and the members of the little band fell very quickly into the arms of sleep.

  Chapter 11: An Unexpected Meeting

  It had been a fitful night of rest for the young Telian. His previous conversation with the warrior circled endlessly in his mind – even as he slept. It was with bleary eyes, but a thankful heart, that he rose to take the last watch. The silence of the early morning offered the perfect opportunity to meditate on Tealor's words without distraction. In silent prayer, he asked the Eilian for guidance.

  It was obvious that destiny had not guided Valrak's men to Olinnor solely to allow him to play the hero. No, the Eilian would never make one creature suffer for the benefit of another. Those mercenaries were led by their own will. They chose to serve Valrak, chose to obey him, and chose to attack the villagers. It had not been their inevitable destiny to do so. However, it was equally obvious that he was meant to be there. It was no coincidence he and his allies had arrived just in time. Fate had dictated that none of the villagers should be seriously injured. The Eilian provided saviors just when Olinnor needed them most. His small party of six overcame a force of twenty and not one of them had been seriously injured. That was not chance; that was destiny. Perhaps the warrior was right. Perhaps fate was guiding Darian alone. It might well be that whatever the Telian did was, in fact, the right thing to do. He would have to consider this further.

  As the first rays of dawn began to light the heavens, Darian roused his sleeping companions and the little band was soon on its way. The bard and the warrior led the group, marching side by side, as they descended into a steep sided valley that cut its way between two towering mountain peaks. The pair discussed what trials they might encounter along this new route as well as how many days the detour was likely to cost them. The knight, the sorceress, and the fair young maiden strolled along a short distance behind and spoke of Gwendolyn's past and her likely future. The rogue, the ranger, and the wolf made up the rear guard and, despite his inability to speak, the beast dominated the conversation.

  “Why does this animal hate me?” Kilren asked, taking a few steps away from the lowly growling creature.

  “Rragor,” the elvish maiden replied.

  “What?” the rogue asked with a hint of confusion.

  “I've named him Rragor,” Erana replied, patting the massive animal on the head.

  “Ah...” Kilren nodded. “Why does Ragor hate me?”

  “Rragor,” she corrected. “And, he doesn't. He just doesn't trust you yet, so he doesn't want you near me.”

  “Why wouldn't he trust me?” he asked, raising his hands.

  “Maybe he's heard of you,” the beautiful ranger grinned.

  “I doubt it,” the rogue chuckled. “I've never robbed any of his kind... Honestly, though, why does he single me out. The brute had no problem with Darian petting his mangy fur last night, and Gwendolyn and Sarena can feed him without him trying to tear their hands off. He just doesn't like me.”

  “Hold on...” Erana sighed, rolling her eyes.

  She brought the wolf to a stop and knelt by his side.

  “Alright,” she said. “Slowly hold your hand out to him palm up.”

  “You're joking...” Kilren said, shaking his head.

  “No, I'm not,” she replied firmly. “Just do what I tell you and don't try to touch him.”

  The handsome rogue carefully stretched his hand toward the giant beast. As his upturned palm drew closer to the animal's muzzle, it began to utter a deep and menacing warning. Instinctively, Kilren began to draw back.

  “Don't do that!” Erana exclaimed. “You look like you're afraid of him. That's not going to make him like you. Just speak to him gently and move your hand slowly nearer. I won't let him bite you. And, even if he does, Darian will have you healed up in no time.”

  The rogue stared at his beautiful companion with knitted brows and a shaking head as he slowly reached out again toward the growling monster.

  “Good boy,” he said gently.

  “Rragor,” the ranger once again corrected him.

  “Good Ragor,” the rogue grinned nervously.

  “Rrrrr, Rrrrr, Rrrra, Rragor...” Erana enunciated.

  “Good Rragor,” the rogue said, inching his hand ever closer to the animal's bared teeth.

  “Well done,” Erana whispered, stroking the beast's fur and doing her best to calm him.

  Finally, the massive wolf stopped growling, covered its deadly teeth, and cautiously leaned forward to smell Kilren's outstretched hand. Slowly, the fire in the brute's eyes died away, and Rragor seemed to regard the rogue with indifference. Which – at the moment – was a great improvement.

  “There! He's getting to know you. In no time, he'll like you as well as...” the young ranger paused, glancing into the deep blue eyes of the rogue. “As if you were a member of his pack.”

  “That's good,” Kilren nodded, smiling at the young elvish maiden.

  “Which... which you are, really,” Erana stammered, “I mean; when you think about it. Rragor lost his pack just before we found him, and now we've brought him into ours. And, of course, you're a part of that.”

  “Of course,” the rogue agreed, taking a step closer to the fair ranger.

  Again, he was met with a low growl and, once again, he had to increase the distance between himself and Erana.

  “What is his problem?!” Kilren asked with a tone of sincere annoyance in his voice.

  “He's just not that sure of you yet,” Erana laughed. “Give him more time. He may even be a little jealous.”

  “Might he be?” the rogue asked, with a raised eyebrow and a broad grin.

  “Yes, he might!” the beautiful elf exclaimed as a slight blush briefly crossed her face. “Anyway, just walk a little bit behind us for a while. That way, he won't feel threatened.”

  “Gladly!” the rogue replied.

  “No...” Erana shook her head. “On second thought, walk a short distance ahead instead.”

  “Figures...” Kilren sighed.

  “So, my dear,” Sarena began, gazing pensively at Gwendolyn. “Tell me more about your mother and father.”

  “I don't know that there's much to tell,” the young maiden shook her head, strolling along between the Telian and the sorceress. “My father's a merchant, although he should be a knight. My mother manages the household and helps him keep the books.”

  “That's not quite what I mean, dear,” the sorceress smiled. “Who are they? Where did they come from? Who were their parents?”

  “Well, my father is Faelor of Tagril, and my mother's name is Galina,” Gwendolyn answered. “They didn't really come from anywhere... I believe our families have lived in the region for generations. My father's father was Sir Kenfas and his mother is Lady...” the maiden paused for a moment. “Maeorlin. I had almost forgotten grand mama’s name. My mother's parents’ names are Dinmor and Helina. I'm not sure what else I can tell you.”

  For a few minutes, the beautiful sorceress strolled along in silence.

  “What was the name of your grandfather's estate?” she asked at last.

  “They called it Selran's Rock,” the maiden answered. “It was named after my great, great, great, grandfather or something.�
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  “No,” Sarena said, shaking her head slowly. “I've never heard of any of them.”

  “I can't imagine why you would have,” Gwendolyn laughed.

  “Were you expecting to?” Darian asked.

  “Almost expecting to, yes. At least, I was hoping to have heard of one of her grandparents. I've been thinking about it a great deal since yesterday. What Gwendolyn did was truly impressive. Of course, I was able to accomplish much more in the first few months of my training but, what she did, she learned unconsciously by my example in only a matter of days. I imagine your potential is very great, my dear,” The sorceress said, turning her head toward the fair young maiden. “That kind of power often runs in the blood. For instance, my own grandmother had some skills, although she was never properly trained. At least, that's what I've been told. She passed away before I was born. My point is that I was hoping that one of your ancestor’s names would be familiar to me, but they're not. Do you know of any sorcerers or sorceresses in your family line?”

  “None that I've ever heard of,” Gwendolyn replied, shaking her head. “But, I don't know a great deal about my family history. I'm still finding it hard to believe that I'm one.”

  “Well, you are,” Sarena nodded. “That much is obvious. I just wish I knew more about your family.”

  “None of my family were Telian Knights as far back as we can remember,” Darian pointed out. “But, I'm one just the same.”

  “It's different with Telians and priests,” the sorceress asserted. “The gift of divine power is very rarely passed down a bloodline. Most believe that, even when it happens, it's simply a coincidence. The arcane power is different, however. Although it's still a rather rare gift, and it often skips generations, it almost never disappears from a family line completely. With Gwendolyn's apparent knack for the art, I expected to find at least one sorcerer in her recent ancestry. Of course, it could be nothing more than her having an open and fertile mind. I'll have to consider it more thoroughly. Either way, when we reach the fortress, I want to consult Andor and her parents. We also need to decide what's going to be done about her training. I think it's important that she begin soon.”

  “I'm not sure I want to become a sorceress...” Gwendolyn said thoughtfully. “I mean; I think what you do is amazing, Sarena, but I'm not like you. I can't imagine fighting in a battle!”

  “You fought in one only yesterday, my dear,” Sarena replied.

  “And, I think you handled yourself pretty well,” the knight added with a chuckle.

  “Thank you, Darian,” the maiden replied, staring at the ground with a smile. “Still, I'm not certain I could have done it on purpose. I just don't think it's the life I'm meant to lead.”

  “Maybe it's not,” the sorceress said. “But, you still need training. What you did yesterday you did quite accidentally while trying to protect one of your friends. That was only the first manifestation of your power. You can be certain that there will be others. If you don't know how to use that power, it's only a matter of time before you get excited for one reason or another and do something unexpected – like burning your happy little home to the ground.”

  “I don't think I'd do that,” the maiden replied, turning her eyes to the lovely sorceress.

  “Well, I would have,” Sarena laughed. “In fact, I almost did. Tealor's leave had been canceled for some reason and I was furious about it. My heart was smoldering and, before I knew it, one of the walls of my father's cottage was, as well. Fortunately, he managed to douse the blaze before it engulfed our home. Immediately, he knew what had happened. It seems it was from his mother that I inherited my power. He decided it would be best for me to be trained at one of the academies. I was extremely excited about the idea. I imagined that, as soon as my training was complete, Tealor and I would be fighting side by side. That's not exactly how it happened but, it all worked out in the end. Still, all this is beside the point. The simple fact is that you need to be taught how to use your power. Burning your house down is only one of the possible calamities that could befall you if you don't know how to control it.”

  “Well, then,” Gwendolyn sighed. “I suppose I'll have to be taught.”

  “You don't sound very pleased!” the sorceress observed. “There's many a young maiden – and young man, for that matter – that would love to have half the power you appear to possess. You should be grateful for the gift. It can be used to do great good.”

  “I suppose so,” the maiden conceded. “I'm not sure that I'll be able to use it like you do. I mean; I'm not sure I could attack a man on purpose and I certainly couldn't kill anyone.”

  “Oh, you could,” Sarena said, turning her gaze toward her husband who strode only a short distance ahead. “If something you cherished more than life was threatened, you would... Still, my dear, there's a great deal more to it than that. You don't have to use the power as I do. You don't have to leave smoldering corpses behind you everywhere you go.”

  “I never meant to say that you...” Gwendolyn began.

  “Oh, I'm not offended child!” Sarena laughed. “I've never killed anyone that wasn't threatening my life or someone else's, and I've certainly never hurt anyone who had the sense to surrender. I'm very happy with my choices and the use I make of my power. I'm merely saying that you don't have to do what I do. It can also be used to protect and heal. You may have noticed that it can hide what you want hidden. It can also help you find what you want found. There's a great deal that you can do; you just have to learn how to do it.”

  “Well, I'd certainly like to be able to heal the sick and wounded,” the maiden admitted, smiling at the young knight beside her.

  “You can learn,” the sorceress nodded. “It's just a matter of training.”

  “Still, it's very useful to be able to catch your enemies on fire sometimes,” the Telian mused. “It's kept me from needing to be healed a few times already.”

  “When can I begin my training?” Gwendolyn asked.

  “Now, as a matter of fact,” Sarena answered. “Although, in truth, you've already begun. It's just a matter of continuing in a more organized fashion. You need to start by learning what the power feels like. Then, you can begin to shape it. Start by concentrating on everything you feel at this very moment. Look at the sunlight, feel the breeze blowing gently across you, smell the scents on the air that surround you, listen carefully to everything you hear, and do your best to feel it all.”

  As the sorceress spoke, she stretched out her hand. Slowly fire engulfed it.

  “Can you feel that?” she asked.

  “I think I can,” was the maiden's amazed reply.

  “That is the beginning,” Sarena nodded.

  “What do you think of this route?” Tealor asked as he slowly marched alongside the dwarvish bard.

  “I think it's brilliant!” Ian replied, stepping around a large boulder in the middle of the path.

  “It's going to cost us a few days,” the warrior pointed out.

  “I've been thinking about that and I'm not sure it will,” the bard replied, shaking his head. “Before, we would have been traveling through the mountains. There would have been a great deal of trudging up hill and down. Now, however, we'll be traveling among the hills on the other side of this range. We should be able to move much more quickly. Had I known about this pass beforehand, I think I would have suggested it myself. It may cost us a day, but not more. Besides, avoiding Valrak's lads will make it more than worth the extra time.”

  “You're probably right about that,” the warrior agreed. “What do you know about the wilds of Innalas?”

  “A fair amount,” the dwarf replied. “But, Erana certainly knows more.”

  “True. Erana,” Tealor shouted over his shoulder. “Will you join us for a moment?”

  Seconds later, the elvish maiden and her wolf were at his side.

  “Ian and I were wondering what to expect at the end of this pass,” Tealor explained. “What dangers lie in the wilds of your home
land?”

  “Nothing we can't deal with,” she replied confidently. “I'm not particularly familiar with the area we're heading into but, if it was one of the wilder lands, I would know of it. Besides, rangers constantly patrol the area. They'll have driven out anything particularly dangerous. I don't think we'll have anything to worry about.”

  As the fair elf finished speaking, something caught her attention only a short distance ahead. She veered from the main trail and began examining a patch of blood covered ground. The young ranger crept carefully around the area as the rest of the party approached in silence.

  “What do you think it was?” the warrior asked, carefully surveying the scene himself.

  “Let's see,” Erana answered, rubbing her finger tips in the almost dry blood and raising them to her delicate nose. “Wild boar. I recognize the scent.”

  “You could have just looked at the tracks...” Kilren said, smiling down at her.

  “Could I have?” she asked. “Take a look.”

  The rogue inspected the area thoroughly. There were a number of tracks; all of them unidentifiable. The ground was both firm and rocky. The few tracks that were visible indicated that the beast had been large and moving quickly, but nothing more.

  “Alright, you have a point,” he admitted over his shoulder as he stood, staring at one of the indistinct tracks.

  “I wonder what killed the poor beast,” Gwendolyn said, gazing down on the grizzly scene.

  “I was thinking that myself, lass,” Ian added. “Although, for my part, I'd rather not encounter a boar of its apparent proportions in such a narrow pass.”

  “Well, whatever killed the beast must have devoured it on the spot. There's no sign of it being cleaned or carried away. What in these parts could completely...” the warrior stopped mid-sentence.

  He starred at the ground silently for a moment.